Short Final: Blimp Traffic

Several years ago, I was flying into St. Petersburg during the NCAA Final Four. There was quite a bit of traffic and the Goodyear blimp was circling the domed stadium in which the games would be played, about one mile from the field. On the way into Albert Whitted Field, I had the following exchange:

Tower: “7639 Foxtrot. Cleared to land Runway 36.”

Me: “Cleared to land Runway 36. Blimp traffic in sight.”

Tower: “I didn’t call the blimp traffic.”

Me: “I know but I’ve always wanted to say, ‘Blimp traffic in sight.’”

John Moore
Vero Beach, FL